While The Jackson Family are pretty much known for being gossip fodder for crazy gear, crazy coupling, financial distress, kiddie issues, etc. at the present, they did put out a great deal of classic and good music as a group and as solo artists (with youngest member Michael Jackson of course, being the most famous of the Jackson 5).

Remember that this disease is still a serious thing regardless of the drugs that are out to extended life for those infected with HIV.

On some real talk, if you're having sex - regardless of how long you've dealt with some, if you're married, think they're clean, etc. - you're still open to getting AIDS and having your life permanently changed.

PLEASE use protection and get tested for HIV on a regular basis.

This disease affects everyone all over the world, especially Communities of Color drastically - much less if you don't have the income and/or resources for the current medication that is currently out.

And let's not even think about the children who are affected by this - newly born, those sexually abused, etc.

Here are some links below for folks to check out on AIDS, its history & what it is, how to get tested, some searches for locating free testing, etc.

Due to life in general being a bit hectic the past few days and weeks, I've been a bit behind posting up pictures of some past events for BlackRadioIsBack.com that folks have been at - for that, I apologize.

Below is a slideshow of some pictures taken by myself for BlackRadioIsBack.com and an opinon of the events that took place while in Washington, DC for the "Stop Hate Crimes and Police Violence" rally and concert that was held on November 17, 2007 by the Hip Hop Caucus and a collective of various organizations at the Washington Monument.

The event was held to protest and raise awareness against Police Brutality, Hate Crimes and how the U.S. justice system handles various situations regarding race in general.

There were speeches by local and national community activists, family members who were directly affected by police brutality and various performances throughout the day.

I do know that CNN did a live feed of the event on their website during the day...but "mainstream" media wise (besides talking to an uninterested Fox News cameraman while setting up at the beginning of the rally), not too many representives were out to see what was happening.

Personally, I think the coverage skewed hard in this direction for three reasons:

1. Young People of Color Not Acting Up Apparently Makes Poor Television

I was at the event from folks setting up at the Washington Monument from 10 am in the morning until the last speakers and acts came on around 6:30 pm. Besides some people being loud and popping off the mouth a bit rowdy around the night time for a brief period, nothing at all happened.

No riots, no reason for the police (who were there HEAVY both visible and undercover) to crack someone upside the head, little "inappropriate language" for the new wave of the "anti-Hip-Hop Brigades" (a.k.a. "anti-Young People of Color Below 35 Years Old 99% Of The Time Crew") to protest about, etc.

All types of music was played during the concert - Latin Rock, Spoken Word, Hip-Hop, DC Go-Go (which for some in the DC Metropolitian area, also spells trouble like Hip-Hop Music and Culture) and so forth with the audience feeling the vibe, getting their dance or head nod on and everything else that comes with that.

No Stereotype = No Text or TV or 'Tention (yes, I know I am streching it with abbreviating attention) for you.

Black People and other People of Color in general get the bad end of things in media portrayals (the NBC Series on Black Women is pretty much depressing seperatist garbage, especially the one on Black Women and Relationships), but it almost seems like that scenario is worse when you actually are trying to be about something period.

Just because this has been happening pretty much since Black People's ancestors being led off the Middle Passage boats to the Americas and Islands to slavery, I'm not surprised - just still a wee bit idealistic enough to be disappointed.

2. No Media-Anointed "Black Leaders" Were There

Now before I hop on my Bath & Body Works soapbox and probably make somebody upset, let me say that I do have respect for those of the Civil Rights Movement and the progress that said movement has been made for Black People and other People of Color in the United States (and its influence for creating change worldwide).

But let's be real and face facts:

* The ball was dropped mighty hard around the 1970s and 1980s by a significant amount of the Civil Rights Movment generation.

I think this was partially due to fear (understandable on varying levels), getting tired (of either fighting or the personal problems things may have caused) or being happy to culturally assimilate and dumping the Black or Brown Pride thing to the side for a check and to "get along".

Some members of the Civil Rights Movement who left their children and grandchildren high and dry ideologically have the nerve to wonder why some things are they way they are at the present and personally, that's annoys the hell out of me.

Remember, all children learn from their elders in some way, shape or form - whether its within the family and home, the streets or through mainstream media sources.

After all, what 20 - 40 year old that you know about off the top of your head owns a major distrubtion TV, Music, Movie or Radio group of companies like a FOX News, MSNBC - Microsoft & NBC together, Universal, etc. that distributes some form of Hip-Hop culture?

That's right - NONE.

Those negative images that folks complain about (and there are some - a sista is not blind or naive) are put out there by your elders of whatever ethnic background.

Ponder that for a minute before whining about Hip-Hop Generation folks putting out crazy ideas - they historically came from somewhere and are being supported by those who are higher up.

* In anything, there are always hustlers, fakes and undercover jakes jockeying for a spot - and that includes the realm of activism.

While are are still those who I feel are truly for the advancement of People of Color and Humanity in general of all ages, there are those who are also using any form of the Civil Rights Movement as another hustle to get by or a way to get popular.

I think this is a bit more in open now in the day of the Internet and 24 Hour News Cycles with channels like CNN, MSNBC, BBC News, Fox News, etc.

Any form of Media is nothing without something to feed on or information to put out.

And with "minority issues", especially with Black People in the United States, instead of trying to actually finding lots of people to get opinons from - music artists, community activists, politicans, etc. - there is a select amount of people where no matter what happens, seems like they are ALWAYS reached out to:

Apologizing or talking to any of the folks above, does NOT mean you get a free pass or special insight to the entire Black Nation, I'm sorry.

Now, these folks have their own good and bad sides to them, but are they the ONLY people out there for these news channels who know or can talk intelligently about Black People?

I think not.

Being a TV talking head is becoming a very lucrative prospect and some who never or rarely touched on Black American issues are all of the sudden trying to jump in the fray, and not because of legitimate "I've changed my ways" reasons (see #5).

I don't know the behind the scenes planning on this event, so maybe I'm a bit wrong on this statement in advance.

Why on earth did the National Action Network not try to aid or assist the Hip-Hop Caucus with rounding up young people and others in general to the rally AFTER the Friday march around the Department of Justice, especially since the issues being talked about were the same?

Can you imagine the impact that a huge turnout like Friday's march carrying over in momentum the next day?

It would have been crazy.

Maybe everyone wanted the events to stand on their own two feet for whatever reasons (logistics, worry, the fear of stereotypes coming true, egos, etc.).

But on the real, it was a lot of extra potential sort of wasted not having the old and young really unite on something important and believe in each other.

The lack of faith of the old guard and the new in each other's work ethics, common sense and wanting to make things right is utterly sickening, especially in the realm of activism.

When you hear someone of color your mother's age (for me, mid-50s) ask you, "Do you think young people will really come to this event and not act up?" in a dead serious tone when the things that people are protesting about are currently affecting those 35 and below the most (Jena 6, the West Virginia case of torture, etc.), there is a serious issue and disregard to what's going on.

At the end of the day, I think all this proves is that people need to take things in their own hands in terms of getting the word out there - while the internet is still free, folks can check out things like blogs, YouTube, MySpace, etc. to find other sourcees to find out things that are really going on and hopefully from the ground up, make a difference.

I will update the links of the various organizations and folks I ran into at the event later on tonight...

* dead at the porno cover not even giving the dude props like that and calling an R&B cat a "Hip-Hop Star"*

Ever since that entire porno deal w/ that Kardashian broad, Ray J is doing everything I guess to keep his status up from the old school "Oh, that's Brandy's Little Brother" steez to being whatever definition of "grown man" is jumping off these days.

Whatever is clever to me - people can do whatever music they like as long as its decent and folks don't act like too much the a**.

The e-mail I recieved says this is "Ray J: Raw and Uncut".

* crickets *

There are plenty of bad jokes I can make, but now is not the time.

I'm just going to drop these music joints on folks and ask you what ya think since they're supposed to be on some heavy hitter mixtape DJs (DJ Kay Slay, DJ Fade & DJ Artillery) upcoming tapes soon.

I honestly haven't listened them yet and probably won't anytime soon - what do y'all honestly think of the music?

Do I have a reason to try and/or be pleasantly surprised or is this mp3 Recycle Bin material?

Here is another week where I'm hitting up the people some more some free promotional mixtapes and mixtape podcasts for download that are pretty on point - not just from the FuseBox Radio/BlackRadioIsBack.com crew, but from all over the place.

I have gone through a lot of e-mails of submissions, websites and bootleg men this week digging for mixtape releases (thanks to everyone for that) and luckily have a few new quality joints for the people.

Get your blank CDs ready and support the local mixtape (well, I guess mix CD now in this technological age and whatnot - haven't seen an actual cassette tape with a mix in over 10 years) bootleg man/mom and pop store, website, etc.

For my DJs, if you do good Hip-Hop, Soul, Rock, House, Reggae, Classics, etc. mixtapes or are an artist with your mixtape album out you don't mind having posted as promo on the web, feel free to hit the BlackRadioIsBack.com family up at blackradioisback@gmail.com with a link to your mixtape with cover and tracklisting - hopefully, we'll put your joint up on here.

NOTE:

PLEASE don't send me no B.S. with folks:

A. Yelling loud as hell over the song on some fake DJ Clue/DJ Kay Slay/DJ Khaled/Funkmaster Flex ish and I can't hear the damned song but 10 seconds of it (mics have volume control...thanks)

B. Mixtape "exclusives" that are on the radio - if its dope its dope, don't need the fake labeling

Here are a few videos from some of the Rawkus 50, a group of artists who are doing releases through and in conjunction with the new verison of the famed Rawkus underground/independent Hip-Hop music label.

What do y'all think of the music? I've played music from these folks throughout the years with the FuseBox Radio Broadcast and personally dig all of them.

Through Black America Web and Oh Hell Nawl, was where I first found out this information about missing Jackson State University student, Latasha Norman.

It's sad that I'm at the point that I feel no surprise about coverage of Black Women in the United States, much less all over the world period (positive or negative scenarios) getting little to no mainstream airtime on regular or cable television.

I know that people come up missing on a constant basis and it is a deep tragedy overall when these things occur period, but its almost by the book now to have breathless back-to-back coverage of when a young, white, (usually) blond woman goes missing (see Natalee Holloway) but anything crazy that happens to People of Color, much less Black People, gets the short shrift unless the spotlight is shown on people (see Hurricane Katrina inefficency and supposed "Third World" offering up help faster then the U.S. was giving it).

It feels as though the only thing less cared about in U.S. Society than a Black Man is the Black Woman (unless you get the coveted "Non-Threatening Negro and/or Who Will Destroy Their Own Community for A Shiny Chain and A Biscut" award).

You KNOWit is bad when a white representative of law enforcement owns up to this young sis not getting any media play about her situation because she's Black:

Why does one missing woman get all the attention while another woman's story becomes a buried headline?

Jackson, Miss., Police Chief Malcolm McMillin, who has been heading a search over the past eight days for 20-year-old Latasha Norman, thinks he knows one reason why. "As far as the interest by the national media in the story, I think race probably had an impact," the police chief said. (italized by editor of BlackRadioIsBack.com)

Norman, who is an honors student at Jackson State University, is black.

"It's a small college in the South. It's the daughter of simple people who maybe are not important outside of their circle, and maybe we don't attach the same importance to them that we do for other people," said McMillin, who is white.

The chief contrasted the lack of publicity over the Norman search to the widespread coverage of Stacy Peterson's disappearance. Peterson, who is white, is the 23-year-old wife of former Illinois cop Drew Peterson who vanished in late October. The media glare on the Peterson case has prompted police to reopen the criminal investigation into the death of Drew Peterson's third wife.

"We're looking for the media to give this case as much exposure as it can so that we can develop some leads," McMillin said.

Norman, an accounting major from Greenville, Miss., was last seen on Tuesday, Nov. 13 when she left a marketing class around 2:30 p.m. She was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans at the time.

Luther Samuel, an investigator for the Jackson State Department of Public Safety, said the department is limited in the details it can release, but said they have received a number of tips and that several areas, including the campus, have been searched.

Norman's boyfriend Stanley Cole, 23, was charged last week with assaulting Norman and released on $500 bond, The Clarion-Ledger of Mississippi reported Saturday. Norman told police in Pearl, Miss., that Cole hit her in the face during an argument in a restaurant parking lot. Cole, who is also a student at Jackson State, has not been named a suspect in Norman's disappearance.

Norman's family members, who described Norman Tuesday as focused and easygoing, pledged to keep searching for the young woman until she is found. "We're not going to stop until we know something," her father, Danny Bolden, said. "We're going to be relentless."

The Jackson State University Department of Public Safety, the Jackson police and the Hinds County Sheriff's Department are all working on the case. The FBI has also offered its assistance.

Since mainstream media isn't doing the job of putting this out there, the Internet community and other forms of Independent Media is the one that needs to look out on these issues and others until they are forced into the forefront.

For a country that spouts out, "Land of the Free" and all of that jazz, if as a woman you can constantly feel like a ready-to-abuse victim due to lack of consequences and/or caring for the perp who did violence and whatnot to you, folks might as well be getting that Saudi Arabian B.S. law system that's going down restricting women without hiding things under pretty words and language.

You Get Beaten = Oh WellDon't Give It Up = You Get Dissed/Raped/Etc.

As a Black Woman myself, this s*** makes me mad as hell and quite frankly, if folks don't like it, I could give less than a damn.

If folks don't look out for themselves, then who is, no?

Also in the "What's Good With The Media Coverage for Black Women?" front:

Rampage had a pretty decent first album with the 1997 release of Scouts Honor by Way of Blood - it just suffered from "Amerie Syndrome" (insanely great singles, rest of album paled in comparison).

While being a member of Flipmode Squad (which depending on who's press release that you read still exists, doesn't exist or is reforming under a new name) along with Busta Rhymes, Rah Digga, Spliff Star, Lord Have Mercy and other folks, he didn't lean too heavy on that affiliation as an Hip-Hop MC, which can be appreciated in this day of weed carriers and when it feels like there are 15+ guest appearances per album release.

He has done numerous guest appearances, mixtapes and independent Hip-Hop album releases, including his latest album release of The Ambush this year.

I remember not being able to escape this joint, "Wild for the Night," back in the day on old fashioned mixtapes (on cassettes, folks), on the NYC/NJ Tri-State omni-prescient Hot 97 radio station (around the beginning of my 5 year stint at Rutgers University in New Jersey) and the parties.

This along with "Take It To The Streets" (whatever happened to the white chick who sang the hook, Billie something-or-other?) was at the present, the biggest joints that Rampage did on the mainstream music scene.

After a pretty nice mini-vacation with the family for Thanksgiving over here in the U.S., eating Mama Fusion's Sweet Potato Pie along with a bit of much needed sleep, shopping, DVD watching and whatnot.

However, it's time to get back on track here at BlackRadioIsBack.com with the postings and with a bit of news and other interesting things to read from all over the World Wide Web:

Happy Thanksgiving aka Happy Turkey Day aka Happy Day Off Of Work For Whatever Reason Day

Good Wishes from BlackRadioIsBack.com and the syndicated FuseBox Radio Broadcast! :)

Regardless of why the "holiday" was made up (I don't believe that entire happy Native Americans and Pilgrims sharing eats like it was all good his-story like that), we all have things to be thankful for and reasons to celebrate that today and every day.

I hope that folks can celebrate that with those you care about. Peace!

Troop was one of many great New Jack Swing R&B Music groups in the late 1980s/early 1990s. This group of childhood friends (Steve Russell, Allen McNeil, John Harreld, Rodney Benford, and Reggie Warren) had their main hits with the albums Troop (1988) and Attitude (released in 1990).

The group also continued to put out other good albums with Deepa (1992), A Lil' Sumpin' Sumpin' (1994) and Mayday (1998).

Troop still tours and perform live often all over the world.

One interesting and random unknown fact about Troop found due to the worlderful world of the Internet is that Troop member Steve Russell dubbed the singing voices of several minor characters (among them doo-wop singer Little Albert and the five brothers who make up the Jackson 5 pastiche "The Campbell Connection") in the 2006 film version of the Broadway Musical Dreamgirls.

One of the music joints that was the s*** for me from the Attitude album was "Spread My Wings", which below is the BlackRadioIsBack.com Flashback Video of the Day.

Besides the song being on some uplifting vibe, it had a good groove and the cheorography of everyone danciing in the video was casket sharp without feeling like the singing parts of the video were magically and/or poorly dubbed in on some old school Kung Fu flick stuff (Brittney Spears, I see you).

This lineup of the classic soul group, The Temptations, with original member the venerable Otis Williams, Ron Tyson (a member since 1983, the lineup’s second longest tenure), Bruce Williamson, Terry Weeks and Joe Herndon, has a new album out of covers called Back to Front (on New Door Records/UMe) currently out in the stores.

This is their 48th studio album since their formation in 1961 on Motown Records as a mix of the soul groups the Primes and the Distants (next time your favorite music artist whines about doing two albums has them burned out, pull out this statistic).

Click on the highlighted links to get a sample of what's good with everything with this release - I think its pretty on point.

Since MySpace has pretty much become an important part of music artists promoting themselves (if for no other reason, its free to setup something that looks decent and can play your music to the masses), BlackRadioIsBack.com and the syndicated FuseBox Radio Broadcast has started going a weekly segment where we highlight eight music artists who do we personally feel are on point doing quality Black Music of various genres.

Folks over here are pretty much on MySpace every day checking artists out, but if you feel we're missing you, hit us up at the BlackRadioIsBack.com MySpace Page or at our e-mail at blackradioisback@gmail.com.

Her self-released album (that has just recently got a new distributor with Kajemere Sound), The Syberspace Social, which had production from James Poyser, Nicolay and Ali Shaheed Muhammad amongst others, recieved a good amount of airplay here on the FuseBox Radio Broadcast for a while for its eclectic, yet heavy groove vibe.

Besides the re-release of the The Syberspace Social album, she has a new untitled album that will be coming out in 2008.

In the meantime, check out the tracks "Fly Away With Me" and "Aquarius Rising" to get an idea of where she is coming from on her MySpace.

Critical Condition Band (CCB) is another young DC Go-Go Band that has been on the come up for a few years (since 2005) performing all over the place live and putting out studio releases and PA tapes (well, CDs now, I guess).

Check out the original track "Classy Girl" & dope cover of "Get It Shawty" on thier MySpace page to get an idea of what goes down with this crew during a live performance.

Within the past year or two, this independent label Washington, DC Hip-Hop MC is finally getting some deserved props from various music publications (Vibe Magazine, The Fader, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Entertainment Weekly, The Washington Post, The Source and URB, just to name a few) for his diverse and energetic style of music.

The tracks "Waledance" and "Even If It's Wrong" on his MySpace page are a good example of Wale's skills on both the mic and an ear for quality beats (if you don't have that as an MC, you might as well be doing acapella spoken word).

Dre Allen's emotional music comes from his background of struggle as a young man - being homeless at the age of 11, subject to physical abuse, molestation and part of the U.S. "justice system" and ten failed record deals learning Industry Rule #4080 in a short period of time.

His first album, The Dre Allen Project and current album, Ghetto Rockstar, mix both Rock and Soul Music influences equally throughout.

Along with his wife, Dawn Robinson (formerly of En Vogue and Lucy Pearl), with the co-founded company and independent label Movemakers Entertainment along with a collaborative venture with The Dungeon Family & Rico Wade (the creative force behind TLC's Waterfalls, EnVogue's Don't Let Go, Outkast, Goodie Mobb, Gnarles Barkley, Ludacris, & many more) is on that grind to keep putting out quality music.

Some hot tracks on the MySpace page to listen to are "Ghetto Rockstar" and "Fly".

We know in this day and age, sometimes when a Hip-Hop artist starts up a label, its just for mediocre weed carriers. Thankfully for folks, this UGK Records signee is no stash holder or a joke on the mic.

Bankroll Jonez has been putting in work as an independent artist for some time, putting out eight well recieved albums along with doing countless collaborations and guest appearances before this new situation.

This North Carolina born, Illinois, Tennessee and Michigan traveled MC has put out his recent album, in conjunction with his business, Da Get Money Movement, and UGK Records, Skroll Muzik.

The music is definitely knocking on some hard street vibe - check out "All My Life" featuring Trae and "Hell Yeah" on Bankroll Jonez's MySpace page to see what's up with this bro.

I actually ran into Janelle Monae's music a few years back while having some free time to check out MySpace for new music for the radio show. At the time, she had just gotten involved with Outkast MC's Big Boi's record label, Purple Ribbon and had some pretty fly music joints that we played for a good minute.

Revisiting her page, its still more of the same quality soul, rock and electric influenced music from before. Along with her label, Wondaland Arts Society and Purple Ribbon, Janelle is still putting out some interesting work for folks to either mellow out to or hit the dance floor.

Get an idea of her vibe with the tracks "The Chase" and "VSHH Cyberhop Remix" on her MySpace.

This Jackson, MS producer, MC and CEO of Ambassador's Way Entertainment is Hip-Hop artist who makes street and club-influenced music the way it is supposed to be.

Donnie Cross' music shows all sides of what can go down in the street life and still has good flows, vocals - which in this day and age there are plenty of interchangable sound-a-like of MCs and singers - and beats to get folks moving.

The MySpace bangers I'm currently feeling that is a good intro to this bro is about are "Who Do You Thinnk You're Playing With" and "Couphin'".

Flipping through the cable channels after going to the Enough is Enough March this weekend in DC (pictures and commentary will be up this week) over at Mom's House, I saw that cable channel TV One will be putting back on Eddie Murphy's animated series, The PJs.

The show was aiight - I was never crazy about it but didn't totally think it was out of wack either.

If anything, it was a proto-Boondocks sort of series which showed what folks could do, couldn't do and how restrictions played a role with the comedy that was hit up.

Personally, I think if Eddie Murphy could have really wiled out on some Delirious comic-era, TV-MA, Cartoon Network Adult Swim sort of comedy, it would have been a LOT more funny.

Anyhow, I remember the soundtrack album being pretty decent (sort of rare with television soundtracks) and folks playing the heck out of this Get Involved joint with Q-Tip & Raphael Saadiq back in '99 (actually, this is the only joint I remember from the soundtrack getting serious play).

That's why we're this joint up as the BlackRadioIsBack.com Flashback Video of the Day - Here you all go and enjoy!

About Me

I'm DJ Fusion, a short (5 feet tall), above average looking Black-American female DJ, writer and photographer in my early 30s.
I'm originally from the Prince Georges County, MD, now going back and forth between New Jersey and the DMV (DC/MD/VA).
Since 1998, I've been doing my syndicated radio show, The FuseBox Radio Broadcast, bringing the best of Black Music from all over the world along with news, interviews and commentary.
Check out what's happening with the syndicated FuseBox Radio Broadcast at our official website, http://www.FuseBoxRadioOnline.com!

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Feel free to reach out to the FuseBox Radio Broadcast DJ family to provide music for your next upcoming event via Thumbtack.com - whether it's as intimate family gathering (such as wedding receptions & reunions), a mid-sized corporate or networking event (whether at a lounge, art gallery, performance hall, etc.), parties of all kinds, large community happening and more!

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